Best available cop



B Dec. 14 1926. EST AVALABLE COP# 1,610,826

J. E. THORNTON CINEMATOGRAPH COLOR FILM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed Dec. 13. 1923 INVENTOR Ofi thickness;

Patented Dec. 14, i926.

BEST AVAlLABLE COP\ UNTED STATES carena orrigcn.

CINEMATOGRAH COLO?)- FILM AND BIETE-IOT OF MANUFACTURE.

Application filed December 13, 1923, Serial No. 680,511, and in Great Britain December 27. 1922.

This invention relates to the construction of two-piece two-color filmpositives in continuous strips of unlimited length as used Jfor cinematography or for stationary or other pictures where continuons lengths of colored transparencies are required; and its object is to produce such films with scratchless images enclosed or sandwiched between two base-supports of Celluloid or other transparent waterproof material.

The supports eachV carryaccording to the invention one color of a two-color picture series one of the 'imagesbeing-reversed, and each support is of only half the standard `and after having the sectionimages printed upon them the two thin films are indissolubly Aunitedimage-face to imageface, 'the-two thinisupports' forming la permanent part of the completed film; the necessary flexibility being! securedby using supports of only halftlieusual-thicknessg' and accuracy of registration being secured by pinting the two setsof images simultaneously upon a film of doublewidth in order to ensure equal expansion and contraction for both halves; the double-width strip after printing and finishing being longitudinally severed to form' twosingle-width films, which are superimposed and cemented faceto-face to form a single-"width strip of standard thickness.V

Throughout the specification and claims the term face refers tothel sensitized colloid layer in which theimag'es 'ai-'e formed. but which eventually becomes the interior of the film: and the term back refers to the base or support of celluloid or other waterproof. material which carries the face or layer of colloid, and which eventually bccomes the outside layerof the 'completed y film.

The infention will be. fully described with reference to the acconipanying drawings, in which diagrannnatically` and to an enlarged scale the films are illustrated.

Fig. l. is :i section of single sensitive film.

before being printed -upon showing transparent Celluloid back or base A, .G62 of an inch thick and a sensitized face B, .001.. of an inch thick.

Fig. L i before bei s a section of single sensitive fil in ng printed upon with transparent Celluloid back or base A, .O02 of an incl: thick, a sensitized face B. .001 of an inch thick, and a waterproof reinforcing layer C,

.-002 of an inch thick on the back of the base A.

Fig. 3 is a section of single sensitive film before being printed upon with a transparent Celluloid baci: or base A, .002 of an inch thick, a sensitized face B, .001 ofan inch thick, and a reinforcing layer D of' porous paper .G02 or" an inch thick on the sensitized face. Y

Fig. l indicates the printing ofthe 'sensitive film Fig. l, through the Celluloid back A., the negative E being placed against -thc back of t-he film to produce a relief image when developed.

Fig. 5 indicates the printing of the'sensitive film Fig. l through the sensitized face B,.the negativeE being placed against the face of the film to produce a non-relief image when developed.

Fig. 6 indicates the printing ofthe sensi-v tive reinforced film Fig. 2 through the sensitized face B, the, negativeE'being placed against the face of the film to produce a nonrelief image when developed. l A i Fig. indicates the printing of two'of the Sensitive reinforced films Fig.v 2 simultaneously, the films being placed or clamped together back to back and printed through the sensitized faces B, thenegatives E-being placed against the facesof the film-to produce a non-relief image when developed:

Fig. 8 indicates the printing of thesensitive reinforced film Fig. 3 through the celluloid back A, the negative. being placed against the back of the film to produce a relief image when developed.

Fig. 9 indicates the printing of twoof the sensitive reinforced films Fig. 3 simultaneously, the films being placed or clamped togetner with the reinforcii'ig layer D on t-lu` face B of one against'the reinforcing laver D on the face B of the other, and printed through the Celluloid backs A, the negatives E being placed againstthe Celluloid backs of the films to'produce a relief image when delilfl Fig. 13 indicates the position of two of the printedand developed reinforcediilnis Fig. 3, one colored orange-red andthe other colored blue-green, and the method offuniting the face B to face B and removing the reinforcing layerD of porous paper.

14 a Section of finished film. united face B to face B the two printed, developed,

coloredflayers B being enclosed between the parent waterproof material. l H

Atn carryingout the invention, theV two separate lms of ,which the complete twocolor film is to be built are made'in .driiown manner as hereinafter more fully described; are printed by known processes such vas hereinbefore-described; and whenl printed, de-A veloped and coloredare cemented 'face to face.

4By this colored images lon the facesB of the separate films are placed 'in the centre of the l'completed'iilnifaiid .the transparent cellulose base orcarriers'A' of each image'is located on the 'twofoutsides, this result'beingl-obtained by cementingthe two gelatine faces B together wit-li suitable cemeiit,'inste'ad -of `cementiiig the two backs together as' has transparent celluloid, cellulose acetate, or

other durable outer layers. Any scratches which these outer layers may 'receive'will thus not damage the inner colored picture layers, and the dirtwhicli usually collects in thesescratches during constant use of the films can be easily cleaned ofi' without daniagiiig the delicate picture image. But if desired the Celluloid backs may be still further protected against yscratches by'an outer layer of removable soluble colloid varnish.

The colored images may be printed by any known and suitable processiising sensitized material; for instance gelatii'io-silver-bromide; gelatino-silver-chlorideg bichromated gelatine; various processes using metallic salts such as iron, uranium; the'carbon pignient process; dyed gelatine processes, via silver, bichroinate, or iron; or by processes that do not require sensitized material, vsuch as photomechanical dyelii'iipression printing and other inibibition processes; but for pur coiistruction the two delicatel BEST AVAILABLE COF poses of this specification I have only utilized and illustrated the sensitized methods commonly preferred.

Manufacturing the film material.

In manufacturing the film itself I start by forming avery thin transparent base A of Celluloid, cellulose-acetate or similar waterproof material. suitable thickness is .002 inch. This is coated upon one side with an "adhesive siibstratuii'iof the kind known to those versed iii the artof lilm manufacture.

I'VVli'eii dry afurther'fco'ating Bris zapplied of aithiclrness of 'about .001"i`ncli,'consisting of tlie" type` o f `piyintiiifjlf lprqcess adopted, with which is incorporated 'either opaquep'ig'i'nent as' used in the carbon process, or dye; or

' pigment and 'dye ,for silverbromide vairdzpigmanufacturedf'of'deiible width. Stich la subie-width aim can be prima, either by 'eontact'forby projectiony'froin a'negati've of similar double width, This system has the great advaritage that -the two negative ima-ges f are 'hlr'ely' to be: of, identical exposure and densityft'he two posit-ive images are of images being 'wrongly printed or wrongly 'assembled 'after printing.

The double-ividtli'print can be made 1from 'twofse'par'ate negative strips E placed sde by side during printing; or it may be folded back to back and clamped between the two negative strips during printing.

In any arrangements of negative and positive strips the rule inustbe followed that when a relief image is required the negatives must be placed so that the' sensitive stripe: are exposed arid printed from their bache; through their celluloid'supports with negative face side against Celluloid back of sensitized strip, but where non-relief images arr. required printing may be from back or front, but preferably from the front with negative face against sensitive face.

It will be obvious that not only7 must the negatives be thus'arran'ged to suit the paz ticulai' printing process adopted, but also that one set of negative images must be reversed in relation to the other and in relutic-n to its supporting transparent base. Such reversal can be effected by using a camera of known construction for taking thi` original negatives provided with a reversing prisii'i or reflector. Or if one of thil llt) CFI

1,610,826BEST AVAILABLE COPN originals is not reversed at time of photographing, a reproduced (or second) negative can be made from it in which the necessary reversal is effected during the process of reproduction by the copying camera. A

The term negative is hereinbefore used in the sense that it is intended to apply to the strip or strips used for printing from, although in some of the processes described a negative-image printing-clicheJ is required, whilst for other processes a positive-image printing-clich is necessary.l

In every case accurate register of the negative and positive images is obtained in known manner by means of accurately made perforations in the respective films, and by registering pins on the printing machine which exactly fit the holes in the films and accurately position the relative images.

Then separate single strips are used for either negatives-or positives or both, it is a convenience to have identification num bers or' marks printed on the blank edges of negative sections and print sections, to i11- sure correct printing and correct assembling afterwards. The same rule is useful in a lesser degree even if the double-Width negative and positive strips are used.

Stronger reinforced color-.section material.

The ordinary film used for monochrome pictures is about .O06 inch thick and is therefore strong'enough to stand rough handling by the operators in the film printery. But as the thin color-section films hereinbefore described are only about .O03 inch thick they require very delicate handling andare liable to greater wastage and loss from tearing and breaking.

This objection can be overcome by strengthoning cach of the color-section films with a temporary reinforcing backing of paper.

rThis temporary reinforcing backing is about .003 inch thick and therefore brings cach color-section film up to about .006 inch thick. lt is applied during manufacture of the film material and remains attached from the time it leaves the factory until the twocolor picture film has been printed and completed in thel printery by uniting the two differently colored .ser-tions, as indicated in Figs. ll and l2.

Before uniting, the two section films when placed face to face make a total thickness of about .O12 inch, and when the temporary backings are removed after uniting the two .sections the completed two-color fihn will be about .O06 finished.

Adoption of the reinforcing bac-king to the thin-film is 'not only of great advantage to the film printer in avoiding wastage and loss, but it is also of great advantage to the maker of the hlm material in that the manufacture is greatly simplified for the followmg reasons.

sensitive non-waterproof colored colloid i:

layer, is manufactured by applying solutions of the respective'materials, by means of successive coatings and dryings, to a continuous web of paper which'serves the double purpose of a casting-and coating surface and of a. temporary reinforcing backing.

Another advantage to the film printer that loss from tearing of the lvery thin celluloid base itself during manufacture, coating,

dr fino' reelin and slitting is reduced to a b, Y b

negligible quantity. Against this has to be set the cost of the paper backing, but as an inferior or inexpensive quality is good enough (instead of using the expensive rag paper necessary'for photographic sensitive papers) the cost of the paper is more than counterbalanced by the saving of film wastage-both to the film manufacturer and to the film printer.

Still another advantage to the film printer by using the reinforced film is that accurate registration of the two section-images is easier obtained Awith the reinforced film than with the non-reinforced, owing to the greater thickness vof the former and the greater stiffness around cach hole of the perforations.

This reinforcing paper backing may he of porous paper applied to the front or sensitive colloid side of the film; or it may he either of porous paper or of waterproof' paper applied to the back or celluloid side of the film. l prefer however, to use waterproof paper when applied to the celluloid side as in Fig. 9., and porous paper when applied to the colloid side as in 3, in order to secure the different types of relief or nonrelief images as hereinafter more particularly described.

To remove the paper backing when rc.- quired each paper strip is attached to a .separate reel, and the film to another'. When all are rotated in unison each reel winds its own particular strip', which easily comes away as indicated.

ssemN/ng rma?. completing the two-c0701' pictures.

Having obtained the two positivesouv with blue-green and the other with orangelilo V- s 4 coating nach co'lloid'A tace with an -Fig Mfrfeady 'f'orxhibiti'on'as altransparent ture bearing gelatine -luyei l"If preferred they? inay 'bel hmdnledwith ently colored* section 'irnges 'nd-ft'inited tof`1 ')rinted"`w'ith differently colored 'sectioir .f in 'accurate- 'register*to'produce a co'mplete positive filnr' "comprising tur@ bea'ringllayers' cemented'wgether and BEST AVAILABLE coPI wg. 1 -igeroze either upon the reinforced enclosed--loetween twobase-supportsof-transthinner -parent lWaterproof' material of substantially transparent 1nat'e'1*i'al^it} now-'only reni-(tins halff' standard-film .thickness-by which4 the to l:issei'nble 'iindxn'itethepositives, irsth): pic-ture*bearing'layers' are protected.

'adhesive 'uniting strutum'th'en dryingisane, and then positive 'film' comprising 'inoisteiiing samel andapplying pressure,'the ture -'bearing sections being Vasseinbl'ed 'and nilited' 'pictureby-p'icture`andstepbystep,face B to face B two-z gelatine 'pic- `=layers cemented .togetherthe fpietnires on- -onc' being Areversed :in 4relation to thosef-on'the other and enclosed between single-strip,two-colorfilm'as indicatedfasfin :standard-film thicknessbywhich the pic- -smre protected.

cinenizit'ogrph 'film in 'colors fnd': having its eoloied piet'u1'es"efnclo`sed' between 'two" pro te'ctive liiyers of tinspfent' waterproof inate'rial Stich asclluloid,cclluliosefacetatey'or Iprinted-with u' series of' :section-pictures in 'the like which al'sofrrn the'slpportsfof the `one-coioriand the otl'ierprinted with aseries colloid i'nfges, andfproyidedfwlth aseries o'r' complementaryreversed section-pictures ofip'erforzitions for-"feeding .it'tl'irough-'any ina, differentcomplementarycolorltlie two standard projection-'apprtusbuilt 'for1the"'lil1ns ccombined mnd standard monochrome'ffihngfad -which will 'perforated cineinatogmph Itwo-color- Vpositive'- hlm comprising 'two separate .lilnis of substnntmllyfhal- -standard,thickness, one

-p1inted-face to.pr-intedface lto `for-rn one pr jeetuponi the 'screen a"'ilti-'color' picture. trim 'of approximately' st a-ndard lthickness A ==hzwingoneseries of como etefcororictures Addwwm T modqmtzms' fembeddedand-enclosed Lwithin its Iinterior Wlien "the -t'w'ocolor film lis"ce' npleted it and-pi-'ot-ected from-scratches.

ni-y be furtherireinforced by varnis'hing on f6.' A perforated `cineinatograph two-.color positive-film 'coinprisingtwo separate celluloid films Aof substzintally .half standard thickness one film printed with u. series of the llul'oid fromfbeing bleg but colloidsf'sucl'r as' albu'ltlen,A glatine; nga-ngararesitbl as' they can be'readilyufilm-printed- 'with- :i

'tion-pi'cturesvin blue-green the two printed fil'msfcombined anduunited printedface to printedface to'forni one lilmof approximatelystandard thick-ness.

,"7 An limprovedV cineinatograph -twocolor posi-tive@ film 'of :standard fthickness, com- 'to 'thi'ckns'sfov "ftlet cfllu-.ffprisingT-- alfn-lyer ofl celluloid. of. Isubb'e'twe'enthe'. -'ce' of the stantially half the standard tliiclmessfUi) tive flyer whew alayerfof-unitingsbstratuin coated on to "piitedbycbntct, Btif'pilntedfbyi'pro-t the-innertface-ofthe Celluloid; (c) slayer jection through a lens thiscondition of of -nonwaterprootycolloid printed orange- `p`arallel rayswill be already* sfiicien'tly niets' red'iiidissolubly-united to the celluloidi layer: "jTVllt'-lla-irn-asimy.intntionfhnddesire 'adayer' fof-adhesive uniting stratuin to'fprotectby lLette'rsfPten is f 'coated onto'theface o f Vthe-printed colloid, l.' A two-color Afilm"'jCOnI'JiiSing't'wo thin =('e) zr'second Vlayer of'-celluloid similar to transparent base supports ofi'si'ib'stnti'lly layer a; (7') a layer-'of uniting 'substrntuni hlf standardthickness,"pri1ited 'withclilfer- *thereon-similar tol-ayer L; (5.1)' zt-layer of 'non-Waterproofucolloidsiinihir to =layer c,

gether face to' face one ofthe'cloilirnages 'fprinted blueegreen; (71,) zr layer-of adhesive 'being reversed both color-images "beingen-. uniting strat-um coated-cu the-face of printed closed withinand protected byftheba-se 'Supcolloid layer e. ports bywhich' thepi'ctures arefca'rried. S.- Theprocesszo't'` building 'up a' cinemato- Q. A twocolor film colnpri'sing two cellugraph two-color film whichconsists in spreloid; supports of substantillyfll-l'f'standnrdfparingt-wo fihns of substantially halt thickness,y zi c0 ll0i l` lziyer 'on' `erch 'support #standard thickness vvwith single section-picture on'ench complementary to one another and joining the two section filnis innige-face to f image=fncee :whereby the' .picture bearing alum, formalin, or bichronlte',"

iinztge's and 'united'together 'printed-colloid- 'flce to printed-collid-face' one of the 'closed within and: protected by the celluloidlayers off 4waterproof material.

supports by which they are carried. In testimony' whereof' l' h are -hcreunto'set 3. A perforated cineniatogrnph two color-"my hs'md.

"two colloid pictwo Celluloid supports of' substantially half 'or' "Section-pictures in' orange-red and the'other.

colloid iis-enclosed between the-two backs or i. Afuperforatcd-cinematograph =two .color- 'indissolubly 'united lll) 

